On this episode of the What ALife! Podcast, I chat with Alyssa Adams, research fellow at Cross Labs (Japan) and entrepreneur. Alyssa and I dive into what life looks like transitioning out of PhD life and into postdoc life, the challenges and considerations that come with it, as well as how to navigate pursuing a life outside of academia beyond a PhD. Later in the episode, we recommend some useful community resources for anyone interested in learning more about ALife or who wants to find ways to get involved with the community, and we close by discussing our views and experiences with balancing science and religion.
00:00 Introduction and Background
09:35 Transitioning from PhD to Postdoc and Alternate Career Paths
30:54 Balancing Personal Life and Career
49:16 Resources for Getting Involved in ALife
01:02:24 Alyssa's Role as Development Chair on ISAL Board
01:03:19 The Intersection of Religion and Science

Links from this episode:

Open-endedness: The last grand challenge you’ve never heard of: https://www.oreilly.com/radar/open-endedness-the-last-grand-challenge-youve-never-heard-of/ 
ALife Newsletter Xmas Edition (Lots of ALife Resources): https://alife-newsletter.github.io/Newsletter/12_days_alife_2023.html
Subscribe to the ALife Newsletter: https://forms.gle/tXKTzx8SmKhD8j167
Emerging Researchers in ALife: https://discord.gg/bX2k8Bakmy

Alyssa:
Site: https://cur10.us/ 
ProPhound: https://www.pro-phound.com/ 

Follow Imy:
Twitter: ⁠twitter.com/imy_tk⁠
Get in touch! ⁠podcast@imytk.co.uk⁠
Artwork credit: Gabriel J. Severino: twitter.com/gjseverino

Episode 02: Alyssa Adams: From PhD to Postdoc Life & Non-Academia Careers; ALife Resources and more

Breathe in your first mouthful of artificial life
New superstitions, new lullabies, 
Afraid of life afraid of not being able to die
Never to experience the bliss of the abyss
Is your awareness real or is it just a coincidence

Only understood by others just like you
Self-aware but do you care or do you only observe?

This is a new natural state
New terms and conditions
Self-aware baby steps of ones and zeroes

You’re inside my heartbeats
We´re washed along as one

Born into a fusion of them and us
My smile slowly appearing upon your face
Bound together in units of consciousness 
The Last remains of individual sensations
filtering my dying veins through you into something new

Knew everything about you 
But now it also knows itself
only understood by others just like you

Fusion

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Irish singer-songwriter crafting intimate, stripped-down acoustic songs with poetic lyrics and heartfelt melodies. Now based in Barcelona, I blend folk, indie, and subtle jazz influences, inviting listeners into raw, emotional storytelling—just voice, guitar or piano, and pure feeling.

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